History isn’t only about reading history books or strolling through museums, separated from the exhibitions by a sheet of glass. These activities will get you up close and personal with remnants of the past.

Inca Trail
A great way to immerse yourself in South American history is to walk the Inca Trail in Peru. This trek follows the path of one of the ancient Inca highways which existed before Spanish explorers reached the continent. Now people take two- or four-day hikes up to Machu Picchu, a World Heritage site once called ”the lost city of the Incas”, which remained undiscovered by the Spanish. Here you can see the city’s picturesque ruins and the beautiful views over the valley below.
www.andeantravelweb.com/peru

The Pyramids of Giza
At over 4500 years old they’re the last survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. That’s a lot of history, and luckily, these great monuments live up to their star billing. Now on the western edge of ever-growing Cairo, the former pharaonic tombs dominate the landscape, still breathtakingly huge. The three major pyramids are those of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, but there are also smaller ones scattered around the vicinity. As an added bonus, the Sphinx sits nearby, looking mysterious and evocative. An attractive way to see the area is on horseback at sunset, with a steed hired from nearby stables.
egyptphoto.ncf.ca

Siege of Malbork Castle
There were few scarier fighters in the Middle Ages than the Teutonic Knights, legendary warrior monks who carved out an empire along the Baltic Sea. They left behind their magnificent headquarters, the vast red-brick castle of Marienburg, now known as Malbork Castle after the Polish town it overlooks. Not only can you tour through the intact remains of one of largest castles in the world, but in July you can experience the annual recreation of the 15th century siege of the fortress by a Polish army. It’s a noisy night-time spectacular full of costumed soldiers, horses, light effects, fireworks and medieval weaponry.
www.zamek.malbork.pl

The Forbidden City
The name says it all: in the days when the Emperor of China was all-powerful, only subjects who had his permission could enter this palace complex in the centre of Beijing. Behind its walls, the rectangular area of 720,000 square metres operated like a small city. The emperor was deposed in 1912, and evicted from the palace in 1924, when the Palace Museum was established to hold and exhibit the Forbidden City’s treasures. Within its walls are extensive displays of beautiful ceramics, paintings, clothing, furniture, and precious items made from gold, silver and jade. On a quirkier note, there’s an enormous collection of 18th and 19th century clocks and watches. www.dpm.org.cn

United States Space and Rocket Centre
One of the greatest events of 20th century history was the moon landing in 1969, the first time humans had ever set foot on another world. At the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Indiana, you can relive the excitement and wonder of the space race, checking out the various exhibits of space gear, including a gigantic model of the Saturn V rocket that lifted the astronauts into the sky. Better still, there are loads of hands-on attractions including a G-force accelerator, a space shot simulator and a Mars climbing wall that approximates the surface of the red planet.
www.spacecamp.com

Easter Island
You wouldn’t think that an island first settled by humans only 1500 years ago would make this list; but Easter Island is special. Everyone has seen images of its famous statues, featuring long, sombre faces with elongated earlobes and noses. But what makes the place really exciting is the air of mystery that hangs over it. The turbulent events of its short history have left this rocky Pacific outcrop with a lot of gaps in its back story, leading to endless speculation about fascinating questions: for example, how did the islanders actually move the huge statues about the place?
www.islandheritage.org

Petra
Imagine an ancient city entirely carved out of stone, hidden away from the world at the end of a long narrow canyon. It’s like something out of an Indiana Jones movie — and in fact, Petra appeared in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Around the 6th century BC, a tribe of Arabs known as Nabateans settled the site, and carved amazing, elegant buildings out of its rocky hills. Nowadays visitors to the archaeological site in Jordan marvel at Petra’s prominent Treasury building, and if energetic, climb to the highest monuments such as the aptly-named High Place, an ancient site of worship.
www.nabataea.net/petra.html

Taj Mahal
Most people would hope they’d be remembered when they’ve departed this world, with maybe a smile or a teary eye. But Mumtaz Mahal, the late wife of the Indian emperor Shah Jehan, received something far more spectacular: the Taj Mahal, said by many to be the world’s most beautiful building. Built in her memory, the white mausoleum was completed in 1648. Not only is the main building impressive, but it’s surrounded by attractive gardens and other historic structures. The Taj is a monument to die for. www.asi.nic.in

The Parthenon
Before the Roman Empire conquered all the territories around the Mediterranean, ancient Greece was the centre of the civilised world. One of the most beautiful symbols of its cultural supremacy was the Parthenon, a temple built on a hilltop of Athens and completed in 438 BC. Although the building later became a church, then a mosque, and was heavily damaged during a battle in 1687, it’s survived to this day as a symbol of the city’s glory days. Every year, visitors from around the world soak up its ancient vibes. odysseus.culture.gr

York museums
Delving into history often involves visiting a museum. In the British city of York, however, the visitor can choose from a range of museums, according to taste and mood. To start, York Castle Museum showcases objects from everyday life, and includes an recreation of an entire Victorian-era street. The Yorkshire Museum specialises in local archaeology, while the National Railway Museum is the largest of its type in the world. The star museum in the city, however, must be the Jorvik Viking Centre, which tells the story of York’s past life as a Viking settlement.
www.visityork.org

[via: http://things.ninemsn.com.au]

Rising from the broad desert plain in the deep centre of Australia, Uluru / Ayers Rock is Australia’s most recognisable natural icon and one of one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders.

There are many remarkable things about Uluru (Ayers Rock), the huge monolith 465km southwest of Alice Springs in Australia’s Red Centre.

But perhaps the most remarkable is how few people have ever visited it. Maybe because it’s a long way to go from most population centres and people think there’s little to do once you get there. Think again. A trip to Uluru, and the neighbouring Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), represents one of the world’s most memorable walking holidays. Firstly, there’s the opportunity to walk around the rock (some 9.4km – our tip: start early in the day), which is possibly the oldest walking track on the planet. This walk showcases why Uluru has been given World Heritage status, for both ecological and cultural reasons.

Many also decide to ignore the wishes of the Anangu people and climb the rock, which rises 348m above the surrounding countryside. Guided tours enable visitors to grasp the ancestral creation theories offered by the traditional owners, and the scientific model or “erosion over millions of years” put forward by western science.

“To get the best out of this world icon, don’t just fly straight into nearby Yulara. The longer the drive to get there, the more remarkable it is.”
– David Whitley

Make no mistake: close up, Uluru is powerful, awe-inspiring and intimidating. From a distance, Uluru famously changes colour, anything from blue or violet to glowing red. There are numerous places to watch the sun rise or set over this remarkable pebble (a term coined by explorer Ernest Giles in 1872). You’ll typically be standing on a rise, surrounded by lush vegetation and the famous red earth of the Red Centre.

The Olgas provide further excellent walking opportunities, and the night sky at Uluru, undimmed by the lights of civilisation, is spectacular nearly every evening. Various “dinner in the desert” options are available, some with guided astronomy tours.
Quite apart from on foot, there are various options to see Uluru from the air, but the cheapest way to do this is to insist on a window seat when flying in to Alice.

Did you know?
Only a small portion of Uluru is on the surface. The rock, which is made of arkose (a course-grained sandstone) is at least 2.5km thick. Some report a light source emanating from it at various times of the year. Most likely this can be explained scientifically, but the ancestral owners believe there’s a hollow below ground which houses an energy source they call “Tjukurpa”, or the Dreamtime.

How to get there
You can fly direct to Ayers Rock Airport daily from Perth, Sydney, Cairns and Alice Springs, plus, four times a week from Melbourne. Or you can fly into Alice Springs and drive to Uluru, but plan to take your time to make this drive – it is a long way.
Best time to go
It is obviously very hot during the summer months. Check out the websites below for temperatures during the year.

Further information
Useful websites:

www.deh.gov.au/parks/uluru/
The Department of the Environment and Heritage site for Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park. Must-visit site before you visit!

www.ayersrockresort.com.au
Accommodation site for Yulara, the resort facing Uluru.

[Via - australiantraveller.com]